The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-12-22

anu CaBClug one &l0uCe LueIe1ts LOFTS ueO
upstairs to her room But ID she fingered
q moment, Doris would have heard DR..
Blake utter something akin 20 mild profan-
ity. and seen him rise TO his feet SO suddenly
a. to nearly precipitate the clinging widow
over q hassOck!
Mrs Mack!" he sternly exclaimed, but the
lady. forcibly overcome by sense OF maid
emily modesty, had fed
sAnd Miss Doris see 1t ALI" said Bob, In
audible soliloquy. as he stood staring in .
dazed sort OF way at the open door.
Go to bed Bob, > sharply commanded DR..
Blake, in great perturbation OF spirit What
could he have said or done iii his dreamy
abstraction that Mrs Mack, who was the
pink OF propriety. should have thrown hcr-
self into his arms! Good Heavens, what
terrible situation! Come what might he
would see Doris the first thing in the morn
ing and explain it
When couple Of hours after sunrise DR..
Blake opened his heavy eyes on New Years
morn, they rested at once on framed por-
trait hanging against the opposite wall
Where had 1t come FROM Who was 1t in-
tended fory
For closer view showed the Doctor that
the general contour Of the features We're his
own SO also was the blonde musrache but
here to his own mind the resemblance
ceased The likeness between himself and
his nephew Paul had often been comment
ed on This picture might have been Paul
with twenty years added to his age. or him.
self with ten subtracted
With sad smile Doctor Blake read the
inscription on card pinned on the frame
4 New Years gift for my (4dear" erasedl
guardian from his (-afYectionate" erased)
ward
1T is plain that Doris forte il not por-
| trait painting he said, with a very audible
| sigh And then wondering how he should
introduce the awkward explanation he was
meaning to make, the doctor went down to
breakfast
| Replying rather curtly to MrA Macks nf-
fectionate New Years greeting, DR. Blake
looked about the room.
sMss Doris not down yet!s he said, with
affected carelessnesR
Mn Mack drew herself up primly.
Sarah tells me, Doctor, that at sunrise
this morning she let Miss Doris out ut the
front door fully dressed for travelling and
| carrying large hand sachel She gave no
| explanation. but simply said she was going
away for good, and in due time would write
US And from the fact that our milkm IN
saw Mr. Paul Blake with . young lady who
exactly answers her description getting into
the Boston train ut Gas, incline to the
opinion that they have gone of tGget mar
rieds
| DR. Blake, who had himself well in hand,
| made no audible comment on this surpris-
| Ing bit Of news, which in reality was the
final blow to his vague hopes And Mrs
Mack, tucking q tiny, ear-blotted note ad-
dressed to Dr.. Paul Blake little further
down in her pocket, noted with inward sat
isfactlon that his appetite appeared in nc
way impaired by what he had heard
/ I'VE will have talk when / como IN
from my calls, Mrs Mack" he said, with his
nsral courtesy; but the widow thought she
detected an undertone OF warmth In his
speech, and her hopes ran higher than
ever.
Bob was waiting the doctors appearance
In the office with manifest impatience. i
was evident that he had nerved himself vi
to the fulfillment Of some important duty
regardless Of consequences
sLook here. Doctor. he said, in caution.
undertone, the moment Dr. Blake haG
closed the door behind him: .thare's things
that's got to be said. whether you think Tn
interferin' with what's none OF my biz
ness or not Fust and oremosA you've let
Mis- Mack drive Miss Doris away from ~
house -
@Nothing Of the sort, Bob, SHARPLY inter
rupted Dr. Blake sMiss Doris has-hal
run off with my nephew. Paul, to be mar
Red
Begin your pardon. but she amt.
coolly returned Bob, who was nothing i
not blunt spoken Mr. Paul's been an
Hoped with Judge Haynes daughter. whicl
isn't only eighteen years old, and tho Judg'
is jest wild about it; every body's talkin' o
1t down-t town"
DR. Blake fell INTO the nearest chat
aud sat staring speechlessly at Bob, who
with great inward gusto, went on:
"Seems he told M SIS Doris all about 1.
and she tried to got him off the notion, bu
twasn't no use. So hem Mss Haynes h.
gone of to Boston to get married, and Mis
Doris she's took the train TO Portland, whcr
she's had offer for to teasa music az,
thowss' !p tho pyss0Etsr!ap IaEstmsp"